The rantings of a teacher who retired from the classroom but not from education.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Rudeness Knows No Age

I am standing next to the buttons in the elevator and a woman yells out "press penthouse.'' With all the noise, I heard "press 10." She then yells, '"I said PENTHOUSE. Use your ears." She pulled her ear as she said this. I actually apologized before I pressed the correct button and told her I didn't hear.

Everyone looked at her. They couldn't believe her rudeness. She muttered nasty comments until most of the elevator emptied. She never even said PLEASE. I wanted to push every button from the time I got off until penthouse, but I refrained.

People say teens are rude. This woman, well into her 60's would give every one of them competition.

Years ago, I was in an elevator in a Manhattan building and a small girl and her Dad got on. She was wearing a bathing suit and an inflatable tube. I asked, 'are you going swimming in the pool?' She replied, 'well, what do you think?' As they got off the elevator, she said to her proud father, 'we sure got him, didn't we?' Rudeness is being taught at early ages.